Beginnings and Endings: A Charmed Epilogue
by MetalOx137
Summary: With Phoebe sidelined by injuries, Paige offers to help Darryl Morris with one of his cases involving a demon. Conclusion of the Charmed AU series.


It was the last day of April, and some unusually warm weather contributed to an early bloom in San Francisco. Spring, for all intents and purposes, had arrived early. In and around all the city parks and gardens, the grasses and trees were green and lush, and large clusters of wildflowers - and their cultivated counterparts - were in full bloom everywhere. On Prescott Street, the buds that Leo Wyatt had planted in the flower beds over the winter were now already fully grown, leaving a pleasing riot of bright colors ringing Halliwell Manor.

Phoebe Halliwell was seated on a barstool at the kitchen island, huddled over a steaming hot cup of coffee, puffy-eyed and trying desperately to stay awake. Phoebe's older sister Piper and Piper's boyfriend Leo Wyatt were busy cleaning up the kitchen. While not exactly dressed, Phoebe had managed to wash her face and throw on a pair of jeans and a comfortable sweatshirt before she ventured downstairs. It was the first morning since the accident that Phoebe had managed to come into the kitchen for breakfast; she wanted to make a point of seeing her sisters before they hurried off to work. They were far less likely to worry about her, if they got a chance to see her before starting their day.

Sure enough, Paige Matthews came into the kitchen, and seeing her older sister awake, joyfully wrapped her arms around Phoebe and bestowed a bone-crushing hug upon her.

"Wow, look at you," she marveled. "You're actually out of bed and wearing clothes. Real progress is being made!"

Phoebe leaned into her sister's embrace only too willingly, and didn't protest even when Paige left an affectionate peck on her cheek before finally releasing her.

Piper raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to work today dressed like that?" she asked.

Paige was wearing a long-sleeved black dress, with a rich, ornate brocade on the hem of the skirt and ends of the sleeves, and shin-high black leather boots that laced in front. Around her neck, a small gold crucifix dangled on a delicate chain. The outfit wasn't in any way outré, but would certainly draw a fair amount of attention if worn around an office. Paige grinned.

"My boss gave me the day off," she explained, helping herself to a fresh apple muffin from the bowl on the counter, and settling herself onto the empty barstool next to Phoebe.

"Oh, really? And why is he being so incredibly generous to you?"

"Darryl asked for my help in an official capacity, and Mr. Cowan usually obliges any request from the police department. So, I'm going over to the precinct building today."

"What, you mean, the police want you to consult on a case?" Piper asked, with mild alarm. "As a witch?"

"Well, as an expert in witchcraft, yeah."

"Paige, please, _please_ tell me that you did not let Darryl talk you into going demon hunting with him!" Piper blanched.

"No, no, it's nothing like that," Paige assured her sister, as she took a sip from the cup of warmed orange spice tea next to her muffin. "Since Phoebe's not ready to tackle anything magical right now..." she cast a furtive glance at her sister, who didn't even bother to look up from her coffee cup, "The police just want me to examine some evidence from a recent crime scene, and see if I can sense any traces of demonic energy. No chasing after demons," she declared, solemnly holding up a hand as if making a vow. "And no taking on any magical bad guys without my sisters. I promise."

Piper relaxed. "Well, that's all right then."

"Will you still have time for your lessons this afternoon?" Leo wanted to know.

"Your newest charge will be ready and willing," Paige declared emphatically. "And I can't wait to get started!"

"What lessons?" Piper frowned.

"Leo is going to teach me White Lighter stuff," Paige answered. "Finally."

Piper looked askance at her lover. "Oh, is he now," she drawled disapprovingly.

Leo spread his hands helplessly. "Piper, I have to show Paige how to use and control her White Lighter abilities," he protested. "She needs to understand what she can really do. Hey, if you and Phoebe were White Lighters, I would have to teach you, too."

"So, my baby sister is going to be able to orb in and out of here in a flash of pretty lights, like you do?"

"I can sorta do that now," Paige made a face. "I just can't control it yet."

"We'll work on that," Leo grinned.

"Well, just so we're clear: no orbing in behind me, or anywhere else I can't see you," Piper declared, deciding it was time to lay down some house rules. "I still jump out of my skin when Leo does that now, even when I'm aware of it."

"What's it like?" Phoebe asked. She had been so quiet that everyone was startled by the sound of her voice.

"What is what like?" Paige frowned.

"When you orb. When you vanish from one place and reappear somewhere else. It always looks to me like your body is... dissolving," she said with a shudder.

"Honey, no, it's nothing like that," Paige declared. "It's like..." she paused for a moment, considering. "It's like walking through an open door that only I can see."

"That must be nice."

"I know, right? I'm already fantasizing about avoiding the commute downtown every day."

"Paige, your ability to orb wasn't given to you so you could use it to avoid rush hour traffic," Leo pointed out.

"I know," Paige grinned. "But it's still fun to think about."

Leo let that remark go with a tolerating smile. He could hardly claim innocence on that score himself.

Paige quickly finished her impromptu breakfast, and put her cup into the sink.

"You're leaving already?" Piper asked, clearly disappointed.

"Yeah, sorry, Darryl should be here any minute," Paige said, gathering up her purse and her black leather jacket. "I don't want to make a bad first impression on my first day."

"First? You're going to make a habit of this?"

"I'm just covering for Phoebe, until she's ready to go back to work," Paige demurred. She reached over to Phoebe, and let her slender fingers entwine with her sister's. "See you later," she murmured, gently squeezing Phoebe's hand. "Bad TV marathon tonight, right?"

Phoebe gave her a grateful smile in reply. "Wouldn't miss it."

"Okay. Bye, you guys! Love you!" And Paige hurried from the room.

Piper noted the tender exchange with silent approval. She had been more than a little worried if her two younger sisters would be able to get along with one another, living together under one roof as adults. She needn't have worried. Paige and Phoebe had not only put aside an entire childhood's worth of fighting and bad feelings, they were bonding to such a degree that it warmed Piper's heart to see them together.

 _If this keeps up,_ Piper thought to herself, _I might just have to start believing in the Power of Three after all._

* * *

Shortly after Piper and Paige had both left the house for the day, Phoebe wandered into the atrium, and settled herself on the long divan with a dejected sigh. She stared out the window as a light spring rain was leaving delicate dewdrops on all the early summer flowers.

Leo came into the room, handed her a cup of tea on a saucer, and Phoebe took it gratefully. "Thanks."

"Looks like you're finally sitting up and taking notice again," Leo declared, settling himself into the chair across from her.

"Getting there," Phoebe agreed, taking a long sip from her teacup.

"How are you feeling?"

"Physically, I feel fine," Phoebe answered, and then admitted, "A little weak still."

"Well, now that you're up and around, and eating again, that problem should take care of itself very soon."

"I sure hope so," Phoebe said, setting the teacup on the low table in front of her. "Leo, really, there's no reason for you to stay here and look after me. I don't need a babysitter. I'm fine."

Leo snorted with amusement. "Yeah, thanks, Phoebe, but I wasn't planning to 'babysit' you today. I have plenty of work of my own that I've been neglecting for far too long. It's time I got back to it."

"You do?" A brief look of disappointment flashed across Phoebe's face before she forcibly suppressed it. "I mean, sure, of course you do. I can look after myself."

"I never doubted that for a moment." Leo regarded his young charge with a concerned look. "Something wrong?"

"No." Phoebe made an effort to look more cheerful. "It's just, uhh, I noticed the last couple of days that Paige and Piper have stopped asking me if I remember anything."

"Well, I think that's because they realize if you remembered something important, you would say something," Leo pointed out.

"Oh. Yeah. That makes sense."

"And I think they're much more concerned about your happiness and well-being, right here and now."

"Well, right here and now, I'm trying to work up the nerve to clean myself up, get my butt out of the house and go looking for a job," Phoebe admitted.

"I think that's a great idea," Leo nodded solemnly.

"Is it really true, I was going through police academy training? I was going to be a cop?"

"It's really true."

"Wow." Phoebe shook her head in disbelief. "Somehow, I just can't ever imagine myself doing something like that."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. It just doesn't sound like me, that's all." She frowned and gave Leo a quizzical look. "Do you know why I was doing it?"

"You were training to become a police officer because Darryl asked you to help him hunt down demons. You don't remember working with him?"

"No," Phoebe sighed glumly. "Not really."

"Well, the two of you helped your sisters vanquish at least one demon together."

"I'll have to take your word for that."

"You were very excited about working with him," Leo suggested, hoping his words might help trigger a buried memory. "He was going to bring you in to help with some cold cases involving demons."

"Wow. That's just..." Phoebe smiled with disbelief. "I can't even imagine myself being a cop. Or a demon hunter. That's just surreal."

"Why do you say that?"

"I can't imagine myself being that... vengeful, that's all."

"Vengeful?"

"I don't know, like I was going to be some sort of supernatural 'Dirty Harry' or a 'Batman' or something," Phoebe tried to explain. She managed an awkward smile. "Maybe I should look under my bed, and see if there's a cape and a mask hiding under there."

Leo took a sip from his own teacup before replying. "When you lost your memories, you also lost a lot of the context of your adult life," he said carefully. "The experiences that motivated you before are no longer there to guide and direct you. You'll have to start charting an entirely new course for your life."

"I think that's what scares me the most," Phoebe admitted.

"There's no need for you to be scared," Leo said reassuringly. "You've got a whole house full of family and friends who are ready to help you, in every way possible."

"I'm really glad of that." Phoebe's smile was far more radiant. "Most of what I know about what happened to me in the last year is from what Paige and Piper have told me. But even they weren't around for most of it." She paused for a moment, hesitating. "So, I'm really married to a demon, huh?"

"It sure looks that way," Leo admitted reluctantly.

"And I'm really a witch. An honest to goodness, black hat and broomstick witch."

"Well... not that kind of witch," Leo chuckled.

"Oh. So, I don't need to worry about warts, or green skin, or a big Pinocchio nose, or anything like that."

"No worries there."

"Well, that's something, I suppose," Phoebe said glumly.

"What you do need to worry about is whether or not you can still manifest your magical powers."

"Right. Both my sisters told me I have super-powers to go along with my innate witchiness. What is it I'm supposed to be able to do, exactly?"

"Well, before you had your accident, you had demonstrated the ability to move objects with your mind."

Phoebe couldn't help laughing out loud. "I'm telekinetic?"

"Yes, you are."

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"The question is, do you believe it."

"Come on, Leo, that's a bit much to swallow, don't you think?"

"I realize you're at something of a disadvantage, since you no longer remember doing it. But I promise you, Phoebe, it's true. You have moved solid objects just by thinking about it. The real question is, can you still do it."

"I don't suppose anyone's taken any video of my magical powers, so I can see for myself?"

"Ahh... no."

"Uh-huh. How about... let's make sure I can safely move myself around under my own power first, and we'll worry about any magical super-powers later," Phoebe suggested.

"Fair enough." Leo was willing to let that go, at least for the time being. "What really worries me most is, what happened to your husband. We haven't heard anything from him since... since the accident," Leo said cautiously. "I was really hoping you might remember something about what he had planned for you. Any little thing might help."

"I... remember moving to New York," Phoebe said haltingly. "But meeting Cole, or anything else about him, there's just... nothing. I'm sorry, Leo. The only memories I have of New York are disconnected feelings of intense pain," she said. "I have no memory of the people or events that made me feel like that."

"Well, maybe that's for the best," Leo sighed.

Phoebe frowned suddenly. "Do you suppose I knew that Cole was a demon? Before I married him, I mean."

Leo shook his head helplessly. "I'm sorry, Phoebe, I really have no idea."

"I was just thinking, it might explain a lot."

"Like what?"

"I'm not really sure, but any time I try to remember anything about living back east, I just..." she shook her head, grimacing. "I feel a... darkness. A self-loathing. Nastiness. I just get this sense that whoever I used to be was really a horrible person."

"Well, that's one thing you should stop, right now," Leo suggested. "Don't judge yourself for something you only imagine you've done."

"But what if I did something truly evil?"

"Phoebe..." Leo set his jaw resolutely. "First of all, you're Charmed. And I simply don't believe that you would have been given that gift, if you truly were an evil person, or committed evil acts. Second, you do remember feeling a need to come home, to escape the darkness. That tells me that your conscience was guiding you to do the right thing. Evil may have been trying to seduce you, yes. But it doesn't sound to me like that plan succeeded."

"I hope you're right," Phoebe shuddered.

"How do you feel, when you think about your sisters?"

"You mean, what do I remember of them?"

"No, just in general. When you think about them, what's the first thing that comes into your mind? Or into your heart?"

Phoebe frowned for a long moment, thinking hard. "The pain goes away," she said finally. "It's like whatever was bothering me... doesn't matter anymore. I feel like I'm somewhere I'm supposed to be. Especially when I'm with Paige. It's weird. She can just walk into the room, and immediately I start to feel better. What _is_ that?"

Leo tried to not let the relief show on his face. "Your sisters are your touchstones," he answered. "They're not only in your long term memories, you also share a magical bond with them."

"So, we _are_ magic."

"You'll remember that eventually." Leo grinned. "Phoebe, you may not know this, even if you still had your memories, but the day you came home was the happiest day in Piper's adult life. Paige, too."

"Really?" Phoebe was genuinely astonished.

"You were estranged from your family for a very long time. And I'm convinced at least part of that estrangement was due to a demonic influence. When you came home, your sisters got their family back. You couldn't possibly have given them a greater gift - or a greater joy."

"That's how I feel, too," Phoebe blurted out.

"Your sisters love you. More than anything or anyone. Don't be afraid to lean on them for support. They will be delighted to help you, in any way they can."

Phoebe shook her head in bewilderment. "I wish I was deserving of that."

"Love is never about what you deserve," Leo said simply. "Just accept it, Phoebe. You won't ever regret letting your sisters into your heart."

"Yeah. I think you're right." Phoebe took a long swig for her teacup, mulling over Leo's words.

Leo sighed and stood up. "Okay, that's enough deep, introspective White Lighter counseling for one morning, I think," he announced with a self-deprecating smile. "It's way past time for me to get to work."

"Fixing up someone else's house today?"

"Not exactly," Leo smiled. "I'm starting work on the attic this morning. All three of you have been wanting to use the attic for your coven space for some time now. I have a whole list of upgrades to do this week. Insulation, beam repair, additional lighting, putting in an electric space heater..."

"Can I help?" Phoebe asked suddenly.

Leo gave Phoebe a somewhat dubious look. "Are you sure you're up for it?"

"Leo, I'm not sick," Phoebe protested. "I'm just missing half my brain." She rolled her eyes, dismissing the pathos of her own remark. "Look, it would be nice to have something to do," she pleaded. "I'm not working, I'm probably not going to have a job for a while, and I have nothing to do all day. If I start feeling dizzy or headachy or anything like that, I'll go lie down right away, I promise."

"It would be a lot easier if I had someone to help me shift some of the larger pieces of furniture out of the way," Leo admitted.

"Great!"

"But where you can help the most is organizing the workspace," he suggested. "I can make the attic livable, but you and your sisters are going to have to decide how you want to set up your cauldrons and altars and whatever."

"Sounds awesome. Let me brush my teeth, throw on some shoes, and I can join you in the attic in, say, fifteen minutes?"

"I'll see you there," Leo grinned.

* * *

Only moments after Paige left the house and shut the front door behind her, the sedan belonging to Darryl Morris pulled up to the curb. Paige breathlessly hurried down the steep steps and opened the car door.

"Hey, Darryl," she greeted the young detective as she slid into the passenger seat. "Thanks for picking me up."

"I should be thanking you," Darryl answered, smiling. "Since you're willing to help me out with my case."

"Believe me, Darryl, it's not a problem."

Paige closed the door, buckled herself into her seat, and after Darryl checked for any oncoming traffic, he carefully guided the sedan out onto the street.

"How's Phoebe doing?"

"Better," Paige bobbed her head. "She's finally getting better."

"I don't suppose there's any chance she remembers having attended the police academy?"

Paige sighed. "I'm sorry, Darryl. I know you had your heart set on having a super-powered witch as your partner. But I don't think Phoebe's going to be up for it any time soon."

Darryl Morris shrugged sadly. "I'm real sorry to hear that. The department is assigning a new lieutenant to partner with me, beginning next week. They couldn't let me investigate cases on my own indefinitely." He paused. "How is Phoebe doing? Really. How is she?"

Paige sighed. "She hasn't been out of the house since the accident," she admitted. "But, at least she's finally up and around now."

"What? I thought she just lost her memory," Darryl frowned with worry. "There weren't other complications, were there?"

"Well... at the start, things were pretty bad," Paige admitted. "For about two weeks, Phoebe just slept all the time, I mean like all the time, curled up in a ball. She barely ate or drank anything. She lost a huge amount of weight."

"Leo never told me that."

"I guess he didn't want you to worry about something you couldn't fix," Paige said. "Piper was just beside herself. But about a week ago, Phoebe started to come out of it. She started coming downstairs and spending some time with us, in between naps. And she's finally eating again. Not much yet, but at least eating something. And talking, a little bit."

"Does she remember anyone else? Me? Leo?"

"She's starting over from scratch, for anyone besides her sisters," Paige said sadly.

"Oh, Jesus," Darryl muttered. "I'm so sorry, Paige. I had no idea. That really sucks."

"She still doesn't act anything like the Phoebe I remember. It's like she's undergone a complete change of personality. Leo says that's to be expected, but that doesn't make it good."

"Her personality is different? How?"

Paige shrugged. "All kinds of things. She shows no interest in learning witchcraft. I mean, if I invite her to practice with me, she'll do it, but it doesn't seem to excite or intrigue her. She doesn't try to learn anything on her own. And she has no interest in going after demons like she used to. As far as that goes, she doesn't have any interest in doing much of anything, really. That burning anger that used to drive her - I don't know, it's just... gone." The dark haired girl sighed heavily. "The one nice thing is, she remembers that she and I had become really close. She's very affectionate to me. In some ways, Phoebe and I have a better relationship now than we ever did before. I just wish I could see some flicker of life from her, some passion, some fire, something. If she's not interacting with Piper or me, she might as well be a robot."

"Maybe her injuries were worse than you thought," Darryl suggested.

"Oh, it could have been a lot worse," Paige shuddered. "We could have lost her, Darryl. I don't think I've ever been so scared in my entire life."

"Coming from you, that's saying something," Darryl said grimly, thinking of their shared battle against the Water Demon.

"I just thank God, Phoebe's alive and she's going to be okay. It's just going to take a long time to get her back to being anything like her old self."

"And she really doesn't remember anything about witchcraft? Or demons?"

"She knows that she's a witch, and that her sisters are witches. That's about all. Everything else, she's going to have to re-learn. She has no idea how to use her powers, or how to cast a spell, or anything. It's going to be a long haul."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"I wish there were, Darryl. All we can do is give her time."

"Do you think it would make any difference if I stopped by the house to say hello?" Darryl asked. "Even if she doesn't remember me, I could at least re-introduce myself."

"It couldn't hurt," Paige smiled. "And it would be nice to see you, Darryl. Piper and I haven't had much of a social life lately."

"Caregiving is hell," Darryl agreed solemnly. "But what can you do? When it's someone you love..." he sighed. "You do what you have to do."

"Well, pretty soon, things should be back to normal," Paige hoped aloud. "Or at least, whatever passes for normal for us. So, tell me about your new partner," she suggested, hoping to change the subject.

"I don't know much about her yet. She's a transfer from somewhere back east."

"Her?"

"Yeah. My new partner's a gal. Her name's Sheridan. Carrie Sheridan. What little I've heard says she's great, but..."

"But what?" Paige frowned. "Is having a female partner going to be a problem for you?"

"No, of course not. I was going to take Phoebe on as my partner, remember?" Darryl reminded her. "It's just... whoever I get isn't gonna be a ready-made demon-buster like Phoebe," he sighed dejectedly.

"Well, we'd both rather that you were working with Phoebe, instead of some complete stranger. But we don't always get everything we want, do we?" Paige said sadly. "So, why is Inspector Sheridan transferring to San Francisco?"

"It was a personal request, that's all I know. I got the assignment because right now I don't have a partner. I'm still hoping we can get Phoebe to join us on the force one day," Darryl added, with genuine conviction. "Whether she partners with me or not."

"Well, until that happens, you're always welcome to call me. I'm never going to be a cop, but I don't mind being brought in as a magical consultant whenever you need one."

"And I appreciate that, Paige, more than I can tell you."

"So, what can you tell me about your current case?"

"Not much that's helpful," Darryl sighed. "We've had three murders in the space of as many weeks, and we're sure they're all related. None of the victims knew each other, as far as we can tell, but they were all killed within a few blocks of one another."

Paige frowned. "Why do you think a demon is involved?"

"Because of what's happened to the bodies. Something nobody can really explain."

"Details, please."

"When each of the victims was discovered, there's nothing left but an eviscerated skeleton. No flesh, no internal organs, just some gore covering the bones."

"Eww!" Paige grimaced.

"The skeletons are wholly intact, nothing missing or broken, and all laying on the ground in a resting position."

"The bodies were posed?"

"That's what we thought, at first," Darryl nodded. "But there was some minimal blood spatter near each body, consistent with an entry wound of some kind - yet no significant amount of blood pooled underneath the body. Even the brain was removed from each victim, but no apparent damage to the skull cap. It's almost as if..." Darryl paused. "Imagine if piranha fish could fly through the air. It's like the victims were... well, eaten. And it had to have been quick. In the space of a few moments."

Paige could not suppress a shudder. "What about clothing?"

"Fabric only remains in bits and shreds. More solid objects, like coins, belt buckles, cell phones, all were found near the bodies, sometimes spattered with blood, sometimes not."

"So, what is the evidence you want me to look at?"

Darryl didn't answer immediately, and after a moment, Paige gaped with dismay.

"Darryl, please don't tell me you're going to make me look at dead bodies on my very first day," she pleaded.

"Paige, if I understand your abilities correctly, you only need to be in the area where a demon has been to sense his presence."

"That's possible," Paige nodded.

"Then we'll visit one of the crime scenes first, and see if you are able to pick up any demonic vibes. If you do, that alone will be enough for us to change the nature of our investigation."

"And if I can't?"

"Then, yes, I'll take you to look at dead bodies."

"You're a fun date, you know that?" Paige grumbled.

"Hey. The goal for me is always to stop the bad guy," Darryl reminded her. "But first step is to determine if the bad guy is human or not."

Paige regarded the young detective with a somber stare. "You really miss Andy, don't you? Even after all this time."

"Every day," Darryl sighed sadly.

Paige mulled that over for a long moment, and then settled back into her seat with newfound resolution. "You're absolutely right," she agreed solemnly. "We need to do whatever we can, to make sure the last victim stays the last victim."

"Thanks, Paige." The young detective managed a subdued smile. "I really wish Andy could have met you guys. You would have blown his mind."

Paige grinned, but she raised an eyebrow. "How do you mean?"

"Good witches helping to fight demons? He would have found you... amazing. You would have given hope back to him. Just like you've given it to me," Darryl added quietly, and Paige felt a distinct pang in her heart.

A few minutes later, Darryl pulled the sedan over on a quiet side street. Although barely two blocks from the Tenderloin district, the street was deserted of both vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

"The most recent victim was found just a few yards from here," Darryl explained, stopping the car and turning off the engine.

"How long ago?"

"Just over forty-eight hours."

Paige frowned. "There might not be much for me to trace, after two days," she warned. "But I'll see if I can pick anything up."

"That's all I'm asking."

They left the car, and walked slowly up the sidewalk. The immediate area was clearly in decline. The buildings on either side of the street were badly decayed, with rusted bars over broken-out windows, and steel doors for entrances shuttered up tight. As they approached a narrow alley in between two buildings, Darryl nodded tersely.

"The victim was found just a few feet inside."

Even in daylight, the alley was dark and shadowed, and it was difficult to see clearly. Darryl offered Paige a small flashlight, and she took it gratefully, pointing it at the ground, and squinting carefully at the broken concrete, shattered glass, and other urban detritus. She frowned.

"I can see where you had some blood spatter along the wall," she noted, pointing her flashlight at the cinderblock. "Nobody cleans this up?"

"Forensics teams take what they need. After the body itself is removed, what's left is up to the local building owners to deal with."

"More like slumlords," Paige ventured, glancing upwards at the ruined buildings.

"Hey, most of these properties are worth a fortune," Darryl said. "And I mean like, in billions of dollars. At least, the locations themselves are worth that much. Tech companies especially can't wait to take over these spaces and renovate them. I imagine most of the current owners are just waiting for the right offer, before the bulldozers and cranes come crashing in."

Paige was crouching down, carefully looking all around the area, and also reaching out with her magical senses.

"Got something?" Darryl asked hopefully.

Paige held up a hand, pleading for a moment's silence, and Darryl waited patiently. After a long moment, Paige straightened up.

"Something's been here," she agreed grimly. "The traces are very faint, it's hard to read, but..."

"Was it a demon?"

"I can't tell for sure. But whatever it was, it wasn't human. And I don't mean, an alley cat or a raccoon. It was definitely something supernatural. And there's something else."

"What?"

"Well, the demons we've dealt with before have all possessed some sort of higher intelligence. Thinking. Reasoning. Like people do. But I'm not sensing that here."

"So, maybe it was some sort of animal?"

"There's only one way to be sure," Paige sighed. "Darryl, I need to see the bodies."

Darryl was only too aware that Paige was volunteering for something she really did not want to do.

"When all this is over, you'll have to let me know what I can do to thank you properly," he declared solemnly.

"Oh, I will let you know, trust me," Paige shuddered.

* * *

When Piper arrived at Quake, she knew instantly something wasn't right: all the kitchen and wait staff were gathered in a knot just inside the lobby, talking excitedly with one another.

"What's going on?" Piper asked.

"Martin's gone," Skye, the head waitress on the day shift, answered breathlessly.

"Gone? What do you mean, gone?"

"Apparently, he wasn't just cooking in the kitchen. He was cooking the books, too."

"What?!" To Piper, the news was dismaying but not surprising; she'd long suspected the restaurant manager of underhanded business practices, but never had any compelling evidence to back up her suspicions. But apparently, someone else had been paying close attention, as well.

"Mr. Callahan wants to see you right away," Skye tilted her head in the direction of the office.

Piper swallowed hard. Emile Callahan was the actual owner of the restaurant, and to be called to his attention was never good news. Piper was one of two shift managers working under Martin; if Martin had been fired, Callahan might be considering that all the other managers might be guilty by association. Her life didn't exactly flash before her eyes, but Piper wondered idly if she might find herself out on the street in the space of five minutes with a pink slip in hand.

Taking in a deep breath, Piper walked briskly through the kitchen to the back of the building, where a small and badly cluttered office sat adjacent to the loading dock. The restaurant's owner was sitting at the tiny desk, sifting through a sheaf of papers, a dejected look on his face. Upon seeing Piper, he put the papers aside and gave her an almost apologetic smile.

"Miss Halliwell. Good to see you again. Please sit down."

The office had a narrow space between the desk and wall, with a single chair for the occasional visitor. Piper sat.

Emile Callahan was a portly man in his early sixties, with a shock of white hair and a fairly impressive silvered mustache. His girth barely managed to fit behind the manager's desk, and he appeared to acknowledge this with self-deprecating snort of amusement. "I gather you've heard from the rumor mill that Martin is no longer with us."

"Yes..." Piper wasn't exactly on her guard, but neither was she entirely at her ease. "May I ask what happened?"

"For now, I'll just say I've been obliged to relieve our former manager of his responsibilities - permanently. But I didn't ask you to step in here to talk about him. Martin is not going to be the topic of our conversation - just the catalyst."

"Oh?"

"I've been conducting some informal interviews among the staff this morning. They like you. Quite a lot, it would seem."

"Well, that's always nice to hear."

"The general assessment from your subordinates is that you're a competent, honest and hard-working manager."

"Is that a problem?" Piper quipped.

Callahan regarded Piper with a penetrating stare. "As a general rule, people don't like their bosses. Employees rarely have anything nice to say about their managers, even if they don't actively dislike who they're working for. Just sitting in a position of authority generally makes you a target for any sort of grievances, real or imagined. But the staff here like you, and they say so. That's not necessarily remarkable, but it is unusual. And it piqued my interest."

Piper smiled nervously; she had no idea where this conversation was going.

"You still seem to enjoy working here, your well-documented clashes with Martin aside, is that fair to say?"

"I love this place," Piper answered. "I remember when I first came to work here, thinking how lucky I was."

"And I remember when we first interviewed you, almost three years ago now. You made quite an impression on me, even then."

"Oh." Piper smiled shyly. "Thank you."

"During the course of our conversation, you ventured an ambition that one day you'd like to own your own business, and grow it from there. In particular, you were thinking of opening a fine dining establishment. Is that still your driving desire?"

"Well, I... I..." Piper was suddenly quite flustered. This was in no way the conversation she was expecting to be having. "Yes," she managed finally. "Yes, it is."

"Good." This reaction seemed to please Callahan. "I'll be very direct with you, Miss Halliwell - may I call you Piper? Piper, then. Quake has not been one of my more profitable acquisitions. Oh, yes, it's never been in the red, or at least, to the extent that I've been able to take Martin's malfeasant bookkeeping practices into account," he sighed. "But it is a standalone business, not part of a chain, with a very high overhead and minimal opportunity to ameliorate any costs."

"You're not thinking of closing the restaurant?" Piper blurted out in dismay.

Callahan gave her a tolerating smile. "No. I'm not. Divestiture, however - that is very much in the cards. I've had my eye on some properties in Carmel for some time now, but I had been procrastinating whether to make the commitment. For one thing, it would require me to jettison some of my smaller, standalone acquisitions in order to proceed. Martin's indiscretions have given me a sufficient push to make a decision."

"Are - are you asking me to take over as manager?"

"Actually, I'm asking if you'd be interested in taking over the business entirely." There was a definite twinkle in Callahan's eye as Piper's jaw dropped.

"What, you mean - _own_ Quake?"

"You've already gone a long way in putting your own stamp on this business, Piper," Callahan responded. "And while I have a long list of investors with deep pockets who would be more than happy to step in and acquire the restaurant, most of them wouldn't care about anything other than the bottom line. Quake might do well, it might not, but I doubt any of them would actually consider the defining quality of its success - the food that's placed in front of the diner. I think that quality matters very much to you, which is why I wanted to inquire about your interest first, before making any other inquiries."

"Mister Callahan..."

"Emile. Please call me Emile."

"Emile... I honestly don't know what to say."

Callahan smiled. "I realize this isn't your typical job offer, but I'm not your typical investor. I don't expect an answer right away. All I need to know now is if you are interested. A transaction like this is scarcely going to be completed overnight, and we'd have plenty of time to sort out the details. One thing I can point out, your initial cost of ownership would be considerably less with an existing business, as opposed to starting a brand-new venture from scratch."

"I... uhh... that is... yes! Yes, I'm definitely interested." Piper could barely get her words out. "I need to talk this over with my family first."

"Of course. For right now, would you be willing to consider stepping into the role as general manager of Quake, at least on an interim basis? And we can meet again at the end of next month, to discuss the possibility of your taking full ownership."

"I - I would like that," Piper answered, feeling positively giddy. "I would like that very much."

"Excellent. Well, in that case, I'll leave you to prepare for day's open, and if you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to call me." He handed over a business card, and Piper took it numbly, hardly believing what she was hearing.

"And now, I am going to turn my attention to the disagreeable task of determining the full extent of Martin's embezzlement activities. I have a team of accountants who will review all the books, but I may need to reach out to you for your help in determining the legitimacy of some line items."

"Yes, yes, of course." Piper slipped the business card into her purse. "If I may ask... why me?"

"Why?"

"As you said, you know a lot of people, a lot richer than me, who could probably offer you a lot more money for this business."

Callahan gave Piper an almost mischievous smile. "I've tasted your Pork Dijon," he said at last. "From that delightful meal, I know you understand the bottom line of quality. In my experience, that is the best defining trait for making a successful business owner - and a potential future business partner."

Piper was glad she was still sitting down, she was certain the room was spinning. Callahan seemed delighted that he had exploded Piper's evident expectations, and he placed a friendly hand on her shoulder before leaving the office. "Enjoy your afternoon, Piper. We'll speak again soon."

And then he left. Piper sat in the chair for a long moment, a dazed look on her face.

"Oh, fuck _me_ ," she murmured finally, in a barely audible voice.

* * *

"Why is the morgue always in the basement?" Paige asked irritably. The youngest of the Charmed Ones was fidgeting nervously in the elevator cage, and Darryl Morris looked over at her in mild surprise.

"You know what, never mind, I don't even want to know," Paige grumbled, noting her companion's reaction.

"For what it's worth, our offices were completely renovated last year," Darryl offered. "All brand new equipment and storage facilities. It's like walking into a really nice hospital."

" _Storage_ facilities?"

Darryl shrugged. "We get a lot of John and Jane Does. The M.E. usually hangs onto the bodies, in the hopes a proper ID can be made in the future. If no identification is made within a reasonable amount of time, the bodies are sent for cremation."

"Do you - do you ever find the victims' families?" Paige could hear her own voice quavering with emotion.

"Sometimes."

"But for some, you never know?"

Darryl shook his head. "Lost souls," he sighed sadly.

"That's horrible."

"That's how it is, Paige." The elevator doors slid open, and the two friends found themselves staring down a long, brightly lit hallway. Darryl gave Paige an appraising look.

"You're _sure_ you're cool with this?"

Paige made an effort to straighten herself up and look forward. She forced herself to smile. "Like you said. Our goal is to stop the bad guy. If I can help, then I want to help."

"Okay, then."

They set off down the hallway.

"Darryl - our victims - they've all been identified, haven't they?"

"Everyone involved in this particular case? Yes. Thank God. And as soon as the investigation is concluded, the bodies will be returned to the families, so they can grieve, and move on."

"I want this demon caught," Paige growled with sudden heat. "I want him caught today. I don't care why he's doing it. I want him stopped."

Darryl allowed himself a subdued smile. "Now you sound just like your sister."

He waved his passkey in front of a set of sliding double doors. The doors had windows, but Paige steadfastly avoided looking through the glass. She didn't want to see anything more of this place than was absolutely necessary. Darryl noted her avoidance and sighed in sympathy.

"You get used to it, a lot sooner than you want to," he said, not unkindly.

As soon as the two friends stepped inside the morgue, however, they knew something was dreadfully wrong; a sharp, acrid scent of copper and salt reached their nostrils. The tables and gurneys in the front room were empty, but there was fresh blood spattered against the far wall, so new it was still dripping down the metal surface - and still steaming.

As Paige and Darryl realized with sudden horror what they were looking at, the morgue doors slid silently shut behind them.

"Oh, dear Lord," Darryl murmured softly. He drew his sidearm from its holster and flipped the safety off. Paige touched his sleeve, and as Darryl looked over at her, she put a finger to her lips.

"It's in here, with us," she mouthed soundlessly, and Darryl felt the hairs going up on the back of his neck. He motioned for Paige to stay behind him, and Paige nodded.

They moved into the room, slowly, checking intently behind each table and gurney as soon as they had a vantage point. As they reached the far side of the room, a fresh skeleton was visible on the floor - still partially covered with blood and tissue. The skeleton gave off fetid wisps of steam, indicating that the victim - most likely the medical examiner himself - had died only moments before. Paige clamped a hand over her mouth, trying desperately not to gag.

Darryl very cautiously knelt down beside the body. A gold watch, covered with blood, was still dangling from one bony wrist. There was a fairly decent sized pool of blood and partially digested tissue underneath the remains. Darryl stood up and leaned over to whisper in Paige's ear.

"I think we interrupted it." Noting Paige's puzzled frown, he added tersely, "More blood than before."

They stood completely still, listening intently. Paige could barely hear, because of the beating of her heart was pounding loudly in her eardrums. The room was absolutely still, and apart from the hum of the overhead lights, not a sound could be heard. The highly reflective surfaces of metal and glass all around them indicated no movement other than their own.

Darryl tilted his head, indicating there was a second room beyond the first, and the door leading into it was slightly ajar. The lights in that room were off and all was pitch dark inside. Weapon drawn in front of him, Darryl began to advance towards the door. Paige's heart went into her throat. The demon was not in this room with them - which meant the most likely place it went into hiding was the darkened room they were approaching. Both the detective and the young witch instinctively crouched lower as they got closer to the door.

As they advanced, the door flung open, and standing in the entrance was a writhing, glistening mass of what looked like a colony of interlocked tubeworms and leeches, trying to form themselves into the crude shape of a man. The only indication that the creature might be singular was a pair of burning red eyes, near where the misshapen form of a human head might be.

Paige screamed in terror, and Darryl shot the creature at point-blank range, twice. The bullets simply passed through the writhing mass with no apparent damage. But the force of the close-range shots made the creature stagger backwards. Darryl rushed forward and slammed the door in the demon's face, latching the door from the outside. He turned back and grinned queasily at Paige.

"This is the only entrance to the back room," he explained breathlessly. "We've got it trapped."

Paige didn't answer. She was staring in mute horror down at Darryl's feet. Darryl looked down, puzzled; he didn't see anything on his shoes - but then he caught sight of some movement in his peripheral vision. Startled, he stepped away from the door. Underneath the door frame, where there was a slight gap with the floor, filaments barely the width of human hairs were wriggling and writhing, struggling to push through the narrow space. As they did so, they began to increase in size, inflating like some obscene toy balloon, taking the shapes of worms and leeches once again.

"GAHH!" Darry began to stomp on the writhing creatures, but it was hopeless. The more he crushed underfoot, the more worms began inflating themselves on the floor.

"Darryl, move!" Paige shrieked, and the detective bolted from where he stood. And apparently just in time: the creatures were increasing in size so quickly, some of them were now the size of mature lamprey eels, and like the sea creatures they resembled, they had voracious maws ringed with vicious, triangle-shaped teeth that opened and snapped shut over a sucker-like mouth. The largest of the monsters began rearing up like snakes getting ready to strike, hissing and spitting venom, bile and gore. Some of the vile ejaculate splattered on Paige's jacket, where it began to sizzle and smoke, as if made of some low-grade acid.

Screaming in terror, Paige ran for the doors, only to find them shut. She pounded on the doors frantically.

"Darryl, get us out of here!" she yelled.

Darryl hurried to her side, ran his passkey over the reader - and got a security display error. It chirruped an alarm and began flashing a red light indicating a violation.

"Oh, goddamn it!" Darryl tried to read his badge again, with the same result. The demon, no longer impeded by the door, was starting to take human form once again, its individual worm and snakelike components writhing and rearing to interlock and shape itself into a crude approximation of arms, legs, torso and head.

"What do we do? What do we DO?" Darryl yelled, now almost as panicked as Paige.

Paige looked around the room desperately. "Fire. We need fire!"

"Fire?"

"I don't have a spell! Fire is the only other thing that can destroy a demon's physical form!"

Paige spotted a rack along the far wall, lined with pressurized cylinders filled with oxygen and helium. "Shoot one of those!"

Darryl gave her a despairing look. "Paige, those tanks are under pressure. If I rupture one of them with a gunshot and the gas ignites, it will explode. And maybe the rest too. The blast could kill us!"

"We explode that tank, or we get eaten by that thing!" Paige shouted, and as Darryl turned he could see that the demon was now fully corporealized and starting to walk towards them.

Cursing, Darryl delivered a high kick to one of the examination tables, knocking it on its side. The surface of the table was now positioned as a makeshift blast shield, parallel with the closest wall.

"Get down!" Darryl yelled to Paige, who needed no further urging to dive for cover. Darryl knelt down behind the table so that he could duck the moment he got the shot off. The demon was now only a few steps from the pressurized gas rack.

"Eat this, ugly," he muttered grimly, and squeezed the trigger. The shot hit perfectly on the neck of the valve of the nearest oxygen tank. The tank did not rupture, but it tipped forward, towards the demon, and the spark created from the bullet passing through the valve caused the pressurized oxygen inside to spew outwards as a spectacular blowtorch, dousing the monster in a wall of blindingly bright, superheated flame. The demon shrieked and screamed, all of its many maws spewing bile, blood and venom in all directions. Almost instantly, Paige and Darryl found themselves covered head to foot in sticky, steaming, half-cooked gore. A moment later, a deafening alarm claxon sounded, indicating a fire in the building. The overhead sprinklers came on, spraying water everywhere around the room. The fire from the tank was too concentrated to be extinguished, but the water spray did keep any other part of the lab from immediately catching fire.

However, Paige suddenly realized she couldn't breathe. The heat from the fire was raising the temperature in the room drastically, in effect cooking everything and everyone, and any oxygen that was being pulled in from outside was simply feeding the fire. Even without smoke, there simply wasn't enough air left for Paige to inflate her lungs. Paige saw that Darryl wasn't able to breathe, either, and in panic she reached over and grabbed his hand. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed for the strength to orb them both away to safety.

A moment later, the temperature dropped suddenly, and Paige gasped, filling her lungs with clean, cool air. She had no idea where she was, only that she was laying on a flat surface, and that water was gently spraying down in her face. But she could breathe. Too dazed to open her eyes, she lay where she fell, drawing in one deep breath after another, turning her head to one side to keep the worst of the water spray from running into her nose and mouth. She realized she was still holding Darryl's hand, and she squeezed it tightly. She almost wept with relief when she felt him squeezing her hand in response. They were both alive. And apparently out of immediate danger.

The ringing in Paige's ears began to fade, and she was aware of hoarse shouting from several male voices. Evidently everyone in the building had been alerted to the fire. Someone was bending over her. Paige opened her eyes, but they wouldn't focus; the face above her was nothing more than a blur. She could tell, however, from the bright colored patches on the sleeves of his uniform that he was an EMT, checking her for triage.

"Okay... I'm okay," Paige tried to say, but all that came out was a ragged gasp, followed by a severe coughing fit.

It was several moments before Paige had recovered enough to try and push herself upright. The EMT gently but firmly refused to let her sit up, but did help her to roll over onto her side, and Paige realized this simple action immediately helped her to breathe much more easily. From what little she could see, it appeared that she and Darryl and a small army of firemen were in the long hallway outside the morgue. Darryl was sitting up against the wall, two paramedics crowding around him. He looked over at her and managed a queasy smile. Paige closed her eyes in relief, and sent up a silent prayer of thanksgiving. She had managed to orb herself and Darryl out of harm's way. But what about the demon?

A few moments later, Paige was carried out on a gurney. She tried to protest and struggle, but for the moment was simply too weak to do anything but let the medics carry her away. However, as they pushed the gurney down the hallway, she caught a glimpse of the ruined morgue. The wall between the hallway and the morgue had literally melted away, and in the middle of the room, where the demon had been standing, all that remained was a large, blackened, charred crater in the floor.

Paige had no idea how much time passed while she lay on the gurney in the ambulance, while a steady stream of nurses and doctors came by to inspect her for injuries and check her vitals, followed by a containment team to verify a quarantine wasn't needed for any unknown contagions. Paige was finally declared to be stable and in no danger, and her restraints were removed. The ambulance hadn't moved; apparently she was going to be released to return home on her own recognizance. Paige had no problem whatever with that decision.

She was just about to try sitting up on her own when Darryl Morris stepped inside the back and sat heavily on the cot across from her. He had managed to wipe off his face and hands, and part of his shirt, but he was still coated with demon guts - not to mention other debris from the blast. He did not appear to be injured, but he looked haggard. He managed a weary smile.

"Hey, you."

"Hey, yourself."

"How ya doing?"

"You look like hell."

Darryl snorted mirthlessly. "Yeah? Well, don't go looking in any mirrors right now, kiddo."

"Are you okay?" Paige asked in all sincerity.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. You?"

"I got knocked silly, but - yeah. I think I'm gonna be fine. What about our wormy friend?"

"I just got done taking a survey of the morgue. Doesn't look like there's anything left. We literally burnt him until there was nothing but smoke and ash."

"Darryl..." Paige painfully pushed herself up on one elbow. "We don't know anything about this demon yet, but we do know it can change shape, and size. You have to make sure not one fingernail of that thing survived. Even a piece the size of an inchworm could regenerate, and then this whole nightmare could start all over again."

"We've already got a hazmat team on it," Darryl promised. "Their orders are to destroy any and all tissue they find - and to destroy it by burning it. Regardless of condition and no exceptions."

Paige relaxed and let herself fall back onto the cot. "Good. Thanks."

"That's probably how this thing got into the morgue in the first place. A tiny piece must have hitchhiked on one of the skeletons brought in for forensic analysis. If the M.E.'s laptop survived, we'll see if we can retrieve any of his video or notes."

"Great. And when I get home, I'll check the Book of Shadows and see what I can find out. Hopefully there's just one of these things, and not a whole army of 'em."

"One was more than enough for me," Darryl admitted with a shudder.

Paige gave her friend a rueful smile. "Any chance I could get a ride home?"

"There is every chance," Darryl assured her. "But first... I need to ask you something."

"Sure, what is it?"

"You know, when the fire broke out, we were pinned down, inside the morgue. But then I woke up in the corridor, several yards away. I'm pretty sure we didn't walk out." He gave Paige an appraising look. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

"Ahh..." Paige grimaced with embarrassment. "Well, I can't say for certain, Darryl, but I think... I orbed us out of there."

"Orbed?" Darryl repeated. "You mean, you can orb. Like Leo does."

"I think so, yeah."

"So you really _do_ have White Lighter powers. Not just magical powers."

"You can keep that quiet, right?" Paige pleaded.

Darryl's expression was as sober and serious as Paige had ever seen. "Paige... at this point, I would do anything, and I do mean anything, for you and your sisters. The help you're giving me is something I can never repay. I will do anything you ask. And that includes, keeping your family secrets. They are safe with me."

Paige managed a grateful smile. "You really are very sweet. You know that, right?"

"Actually, right now, I'm very stinky, soaked, frazzled, and half-cooked. I'm hoping you're ready for your ride home sooner, rather than later."

"I'm ready. I'm so ready," Paige declared forcefully, and then she grinned. "Partner."

* * *

Piper Halliwell made it home after her shift, but had absolutely no memory of the day, or her drive. Her mind was churning incessantly with the conversation that she'd had at the beginning of the day - and the implications it could have, for herself and her family. She hung up her coat absently on a peg in the foyer, and then just stood there, pondering - and was still pondering several minutes later, when Paige walked in behind her. Piper turned, and was aghast to see her baby sister bruised, battered, her clothes torn and covered head to toe with slime.

"Oh, my God! Paige!" Piper clamped a hand over her mouth and nose. "What on earth happened to you? Are you all right?"

Paige fairly cringed with embarrassment. "Oh, man," she sighed. "I was so hoping I could get home without anybody seeing me. Uhh... look, if I tell you, you have to promise to not get mad."

"Paige, I'm not making that promise. What happened?"

Paige grimaced. "I kinda got into a fight with a big demonic tapeworm."

"You did WHAT?!" Piper shrieked.

"Or a demon that can turn itself into all kinds of parasitic worms and eels and octopus tentacle thingys. Whatever."

Piper was instantly livid. "Paige! No demon hunting! You promised!"

"Hey, he attacked _us_ ," Paige protested. "Darryl and I were just defending ourselves."

With an effort, Piper reeled in her anger and worry. She looked at her disheveled baby sister and sighed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, Darryl's fine, and we managed to kill the demon. Everything's good." Paige sniffed herself discreetly. "Uhh, once I've had a long, hot bath, that is."

"Uh-huh. You might want to think about burning those clothes, too."

"But this is my favorite jacket." Paige flicked a glob of gore off the torn sleeve. It landed with a wet squelch on the runner and Piper glared at her sister furiously. "Well... yeah, okay, _was_ my favorite jacket," Paige conceded. "I can get a new one."

"You're _sure_ you're okay?" Piper was still trying to recover from the shock of Paige's appearance.

"I promise, I'm really okay," Paige declared. "But, uhh, you might want to do yourself a favor and not watch the evening news tonight. You might freak."

Phoebe came running down the stairs.

"Hey, I thought I heard you guys come in," she said excitedly. "You need to come upstairs, right away!"

"What, not another demon?" Piper groaned.

"No, no, it's nothing bad," Phoebe assured her. "Leo and I have a surprise for you."

"Phoebe, you're absolutely filthy," Piper remonstrated. "What on earth have you been doing?"

Phoebe was sweating profusely, and her jeans, shirt and face were all covered with a fine layer of grime, but she was smiling brightly. She caught a glimpse of Paige, and her mouth fell open in shock.

"Whoa! What happened to you?"

"Don't ask," Paige sighed.

"Demon?" Phoebe guessed.

"Yup."

"Did you get him?"

"I totally blew him to smithereens," Paige assured her with a grin. "And I mean that literally."

"Ugh!" Piper was unable to suppress a shudder of revulsion. "My God! I swear, I can't let the two of you out of my sight! Ever!" She punctuated her complaint with a grunt of aggravation. "All right," she conceded finally. "Let's go see Phoebe's surprise. And if either of you leaves so much as a smudge of grime or demon guts on my nice clean floors, I'm going to make you shampoo everything - walls, floors, carpets, chandeliers, _everything_ \- and then yourselves!"

A few moments later, the sisters entered the attic. Piper and Paige looked around in disbelief, and their mouths fell open in surprise.

"Oh, my God." Piper murmured, astonished.

When Piper had first looked into the attic of Halliwell Manor a few short months ago, it was closed, cold, airless and dimly-lit space, almost suffocated by neglect. That same space had now been completely transformed before her eyes, and the change was almost, well, magical.

The entire space, floor, walls and beams, had been carefully scoured and cleaned. The wood floor shone as if it had been waxed and polished. Several of partitions between the beams were now covered by attractive wood paneling, with a thick layer of insulation underneath. The front and side windows, which previously had been partially or completely boarded up, had been cleared and cleaned, and sunlight was spilling in through the stained glass, making the attic a much brighter place. Most of the old boxes and packing crates had been removed. A few pieces of old, battered furniture remained - a couch, a loveseat, a pair of upholstered chairs, two small end tables, and a pair of antique floor lamps, now brightly lit - but these also had been cleaned and rearranged around a low, circular table, with a large rug underneath, creating a warm, welcoming space. The rolltop desk and the Chinese herbarium had been moved over to the side wall that had no window, where all the many bottles of potions, herbs and other magical ingredients from the trunk had been painstakingly dusted and organized into a magical pharmacopeia. On the opposite side of the "potion wall", in the light of the main window, the Book of Shadows was on prominent display, settled atop its brand new cherrywood book stand.

"Phoebe, Leo, this... this is incredible," Piper murmured. "How on earth did you manage all this?"

"No magic involved," Phoebe grinned. "Unless you count elbow grease and sweat as magic."

"I will now." Piper moved into the room, and turned slowly, taking it all in. The space was so inviting she actually found herself wishing that it was the living room. She walked over to the desk and herbarium, and inspected the arrangement of the bottles critically.

"You did all this?" She asked Phoebe.

Phoebe smiled shyly. "I... just know how you like your kitchen space organized, and I just tried to think like you, arrange all the magical stuff the same way."

"Phoebe, I..." For once, words failed her. Piper went over to her sister, and despite the grime, gave her a crushing bear hug.

"Does this mean you like it?" Phoebe asked, when she could breathe again.

"I love it," Piper declared.

Paige had drifted over the book stand, and was gently turning the pages, experimenting with the wheel which allowed the huge Book of Shadows to be turned to the right or left. "Perfect height," she marveled.

"I just thought, if the Halliwell coven is gonna be a going concern again, then we really need a space where we can work - and relax," Phoebe explained. "Leo and I just used the stuff that was already here, moved it around, trying to make it look like a space you'd actually want to spend time in."

"It worked," Piper murmured, still astonished. "I can't believe this is the same old attic!"

"It will be lighter by the end of the week, too, once I get the overhead fixtures installed," Leo said. "And the space heater will be added tomorrow."

"You guys, this is - there's just no way I can say thank you," Piper shook her head, grinning.

"As long as you and Paige like it, that's thanks enough for us," Phoebe declared.

Paige looked up from the book and stared at her sister apprehensively. "Phoebe, you have to be part of the coven, too, you know," she insisted.

"I am, I so am," Phoebe bobbed her head. "But right now, my magical power is kind of stuck in the 'off' position. We're a power of two-and-a-half, until I get myself back up to speed." Phoebe hesitated for a moment. "I was really hoping you guys would help me with that?" she asked shyly.

"Phoebe, Piper and I would do anything for you, anything at all," Paige declared emphatically. "Including helping you get your magical mojo back. And I would hug you right now, except I don't want to cover you in stinky demon guts."

"Well, thank you for that," Phoebe laughed.

"Yeah, okay... both of you really need to go clean yourselves up, and I mean right this minute," Piper declared solemnly. "Reek-a-thon is officially over. I don't care how you decide who gets the bathroom first. Just go do it!"

"Yes, mom." Giggling, Phoebe and Paige hurried towards the attic door.

Piper groaned in exasperation, and rolled her eyes towards Leo. "Sisters."

Leo gave Piper a resigned "what can you do" smile. "You don't regret moving back in with them, do you?"

"Never," Piper said firmly. "Best day of my life. So far."

Piper walked over to Leo and hugged him tightly.

"Uhh, I'm not exactly free from sweat and grime myself," he warned.

"You, I can tolerate," Piper declared, giving him a quick kiss. "For now." She looked around the attic space again, marveling at the transformation. "Thank you for this."

"Believe me, Piper, it's my pleasure."

"Well, it kinda got buried in all the excitement, but I have some news of my own to share," Piper confided.

"Oh, really? Like what?"

"Something that could be a potential game-changer. For all of us. But it's something that needs to be discussed with the entire family," she added. "And that includes you, my Guardian Angel."

Piper reached up and gave the young man another quick kiss, and a distinctly carnal smile.

"Want to help me get dinner ready, handsome?"

"Always." Leo slipped an arm around Piper's waist, and arm in arm, the two lovers walked slowly together towards the stairs.

* * *

 _Dedication: For Brian, Holly, Alyssa, Rose, Dorian, Shannen and especially Constance - the studio executives can serve up as many reboots as they like, but in the eyes of at least this one fan, no one will ever be half as Charmed as you. Thank you. For everything. You guys ARE the real magic. Now, then and always. :)_


End file.
